MUSIC >Tünel Feast to liven up Beyoğlu streets

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The third Tünel Feast will feature concerts by Turkish and foreign artists, workshops, special exhibitions and treats this weekend in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district. The event is being organized as part of the 19th Istanbul Jazz Festival.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the Tünel Feast will continue in the streets and various venues of the Beyoğlu and Galata areas with paid and free-of-charge concerts, workshops, special exhibitions and treats.

The Istanbul Jazz Festival is presenting a festival within a festival for the third time this year with the Tünel Feast.

With numerous concerts, events and workshops held at different concert venues and open-air stages, Tünel Feast will draw every corner of Tünel into a jazz marathon on July 7.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the feast will continue in the streets and various venues of the Beyoğlu and Galata areas with paid and free-of-charge concerts, workshops, special exhibitions and treats until late in the evening. A detailed program for the Tünel Feast can be found on the map of venues, all of which are close to one another.

The free-of-charge concerts will take place on two main stages in Galata and Tünel, but a festival atmosphere will be prevail throughout the whole area, as the audience shuttles back and forth between various venues and stages and participates in different events throughout the night. The colorful venues of the Tünel area include Salon, Nardis, SALT Beyoğlu, Alt, the Grand Pera Ball Room at the Pera Palace Hotel and the Beyoğlu Municipal Youth Center. Artists Phronesis, Jo Stance, Jülide Özçelik, Gevende and Daniel Zamir are all set to perform at the feast as well.

The feast will also feature Eric Vloeimans, New Cool Collective, Lefties Soul Connection, Jungle By Night, and Ntjam Rosie, Dutch artists who are visiting Istanbul on the occasion of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Netherlands. The Netherlands Consulate General’s garden will be one of the festival’s most special venues.

Young Jazz concerts

The “Young Jazz” Concert Series, a platform that has enabled young jazz musicians and ensembles to take part in the program of the Istanbul Jazz Festival for the last nine years, will continue this year as well. The Young Jazz concerts, which are being organized for the 10th time this year, can be attended free of charge as part of Tünel Feast.

The committee selecting bands to participate in the Young Jazz concerts was made up of Hülya Tunçağ, Kerem Görsev, Önder Focan, Pelin Opcin, Sevin Okyay, Elif Çağlar and Ferit Odman. Over 100 jazz artists or ensembles have applied to the Young Jazz Concert Series in the past nine years, and the opportunity to participate in the same festival with world-famous jazz artists has been given to over 30 young jazz ensembles.Tünel Feast at restaurants

As part of the Tünel Feast, restaurants, cafes and bars in the area, including Antiocha, Leblon, Lokal (Tünel), Miss Pizza (Şişhane), Otto Tünel, Pera Nostra, Sushi Express, The Marmara Pera Brasserie and Tünel KaVe will also host special DJ performances and happy hours. Arter, Borusan Music House, SALT Beyoğlu and Lale Plak will also be open to visitors until midnight.

Tickets to enter the venues of the Tünel Feast are available for 35 Turkish Liras. Unlimited tickets allowing holders to hear the concerts at the garden of the Dutch Consulate General and Nardis as well are 60 liras. Tickets are available at Biletix.

Tickets for the festival can also be bought from the Tünel Feast Meeting Points that will be set up in Tünel and Galata squares on July 7 at 3 p.m. Those who have previously bought their tickets will be given wrist bands to take to feast venues. The wrist bands will be checked at the entrances to the venues. Tickets sales will continue during festival hours.

The event is co-sponsored by Coca-Cola and Vodafone Freezone, while Beyoğlu Municipality also collaborated on the project.